News: Chinese president Xi Jinping has called for an end to the "weird architecture" that has come as a result of China's construction boom.
Xi, who took over as China's Communist Party leader nearly two years ago, attacked projects including the Rem Koolhaas-designed CCTV headquarters in Beijing in a two-hour speech made at a literary symposium last week.
"No more weird architecture" said Xi, reports the Wall Street Journal translating a story that appeared on the website of Chinese state newspaper the People's Daily – whose own new headquarters building came under fire last year after being compared to a giant penis.
As well as lambasting Koolhaas' building, nicknamed "big pants" in reference to its trouser-like shape, Xi also targeted a pair of bridges over the Yangtze and Jialing rivers in Chongqing, which have been compared to female genitalia.
His comments follow the completion of several unusually shaped structures in China – ranging from a skyscraper shaped like a giant doughnut, to Zaha Hadid's pebble-shaped complex for real-estate developer Soho China – that came about as a result of the Chinese property boom.
Xi delivered his speech to some of China's leading figures in the fields of art, theatre and literature. He also spoke about the need for more inspiring artwork and urged Chinese creatives not to sacrifice artistic and moral value in favour of commercial gain.
"Fine art works should be like sunshine from the blue sky and the breeze in spring that will inspire minds, warm hearts, cultivate taste and clean up undesirable work styles," he said.
Main image of CCTV Headquarters by OMA is by Philippe Ruault.